As our society becomes more reliant on online platforms to communicate and connect than ever before, it’s vital that your business taps into the power of Google reviews.

If you haven’t set up a Google My Business listing and don’t encourage your customers to review, there’s a good chance your business’ online presence is flatlining. Word-of-mouth, I’m sorry to say, is so 2013. 

So you want to know how to get more Google reviews and how that will increase your online visibility?

Google reviews are vital for businesses that want to stand out from their local competitors.

In a noisy, overcrowded online space, good reviews — and plenty of them — allow your business to rise in rank on Google, so you have more opportunity to be found by potential customers.

Not only do reviews bolster your local searchability, driving your business towards the top of page 1 listings, they should also be viewed as an essential part of your marketing and customer relations strategy.

A company that amasses positive reviews builds trust with potential customers, and shows their business is engaged and interested in what their customers have to say.

According to Fan and Fuel, 97% of customers claim that reviews guide their buying decisions, and 92% of customers will hesitate in purchasing if there are no reviews. 

Setting up a Google My Business profile, and keeping it current, is the first step. Make sure you upload good quality images, list your trading hours, and showcase the key features of your enterprise.

Utilising software like Ad On Review, then, allows you to seamlessly communicate with your customers, sending them a review request so they can rate their experience. The whole review process takes just 30 seconds, and makes it more appealing for customers who may not be used to posting reviews.

It’s not enough to encourage more people to review — you’ve also got to keep your reviews current. If you’ve actively encouraged customers to review, keep the momentum going, customers are more likely to buy from a business that has current Google reviews, as opposed to businesses that have reviews that are months or even years old.

Once you start asking customers to rate your business, you’ll not only get an honest opinion about how your company is performing, but you’ll also have the chance to communicate with your customers and build stronger relationships with your customer base.

And the other benefit? Your customers will become part of your digital marketing team — helping your online searchability, just by posting simple Google reviews.